Going Outside to Investigate Noises in the Night

[Excaliber]

A former Olympian was shot to death in California after reportedly going outside to check out noises heard outside his home. Few details are available at this point, but from the initial news story it appears to be another illustration of the consequences of abandoning the multiple advantages a defender has inside to place oneself at a very serious tactical disadvantage outside.

The brief initial story can be found here.

[RECIT]

A former Olympian was shot to death in California after reportedly going outside to check out noises heard outside his home. Few details are available at this point, but from the initial news story it appears to be another illustration of the consequences of abandoning the multiple advantages a defender has inside to place oneself at a very serious tactical disadvantage outside.

The brief initial story can be found here.

In other words "stay put"

[mr surveyor]

Personally, I live in the country... I WILL investigate.

The difference to me is hearing noises in the front, I will slip out the back...or noises in back, will ease out the front... I know my cover.... and my dog

they will probably never get a lead on the shooter.

surv

[CompVest]

Personally, I live in the country... I WILL investigate.

The difference to me is hearing noises in the front, I will slip out the back...or noises in back, will ease out the front... I know my cover.... and my dog

they will probably never get a lead on the shooter.

surv

+1

[ELB]

There are noises, and then there are noises. Cowering in the house and calling the Sheriff every time I hear something go thump or clank outside is not reasonable, particularly in the rural area. And I will soon end up on the Sheriff's nuisance list. If I actually think there are people out there doing wrong, I will call the cops. Short of that, I will go see what the noise is about. (So far I have found my horse loose, the dog with his foot caught in something, a knocked over sheet of plywood, and whole bunch of "Darned if I can figure it outs." In those cases I take my pistol, and some times my rifle also, not because I think there is threat, but because I might be wrong...

[stevie_d_64]

What a shame...

As far as investigating anything...It all depends on how well you know your castle...Sure, you'll hear noises, and maybe see things that make you scratch your head from time to time...It has to be your call...Nothing is ever foolproof...

Whether you live in an urban or rural environment...The more in tune you are with your own digs is paramount...

There seems to be more to this incident than has been reported, obviously...But I do not believe it is anything the homeowner did to draw this type of reaction from those who did this horrible act...Just a gut feeling I have...

I figure as long as it is not an obvious door frame crashing in, or a window being busted in in our current situation...What is outside is outside...What comes inside will be effectively dealt with, as I am sure everyone else here has gone through in their own situations...

Truly a sad story...

[Excaliber]

Personally, I live in the country... I WILL investigate.

The difference to me is hearing noises in the front, I will slip out the back...or noises in back, will ease out the front... I know my cover.... and my dog

they will probably never get a lead on the shooter.

surv

Your point and ComVest's supporting comment are well taken.

I should have noted in my original post that rural situations are a special case and bring in additional complexities. In that environment even if you call for police you'll be on your own for extended periods of time without help, and many folks have things worth fighting for in outbuildings or expensive essential equipment.

That being said, even in the country, staying inside and making any intruders come to you is still usually the best way to protect people. However, outside investigation may be the only way to effectively protect valuable property.

If you can do it in pairs, that's the way to go. You can't cover threats from 360 degrees reliably by yourself, and bad guys don't play fair by engaging you only from the front. Going outside without a tailgunner (someone to watch your back) is really dicey. If you decide to do so, here are a couple of things to keep in mind:

1. Have a way to communicate quietly with those still inside (e.g., a GMRS radio with throat mike and earpiece). It'll come in handy if you corner someone, get into a really bad position, or get hurt yourself.

2. A night vision device would be really handy for scanning the territory before each of your movements. The guy who sees his opponent first has a huge advantage.

3. Engagement distances may well be much greater than those typical in city self defense situations. Take advantage of the option to bring a long gun, and if you have to engage, you'll need to do so decisively. It's a whole lot better to have it and not need it than the other way around.

4. Use a silent low profile approach from a direction well away from where you think the problem might be (as mr. surveyor described above), and do it without light. The element of surprise is one of the major advantages you need to keep on your side.

5. Wear clothing that makes it difficult to pick you out against the various backgrounds on your property, e.g., camo.

6. Have medical equipment for treating gunshot wounds on your person and in the house (Large trauma bandages, tourniquets, asherman chest seals, and clotting powders or sponges, etc.) and get training for using it properly. If you're shot or stabbed (the good guy doesn't always win), you'll likely be on your own for an extended period of time before medics can get there too, and with many gunshot wounds, what you do aid in the first 2 or 3 minutes will determine if you survive or not.

[dicion]

So what Excaliber is saying, is that in the middle of the night, you should have an AR, night vision goggles, full BDUs, a medical pack, full throat-micced radio communications system and a wingman with all of that also ready to go at a moment's notice
(Is it sad that I DO have half of that list ready to go? Then again, I am prepping for Z-Day )

Just pickin at ya Excal

I agree, unless you have to go outside to possibly protect things (horses, cattle, farm equipment, etc etc) then stay indoors. If you do choose to go outside, you must realize that you are leaving a more secure position, for a less secure one, and to plan accordingly.

If you do shoot someone, and the police eventually show up, don't be suprised when they freak out that you're dressed like this to 'defend your property'

[Liberty]

I guess it depends on your tactical advantage, my yard is configured so that it would be very unlikely that some would see me before I saw them, and I figure most noises and things that bear investigation is the wind possum, or stray cat. Calling the cops every time a something sets off the flood lights or that I hear a strange noise would get us on a nuisance list in about a week. It would be better if I had a dog, but I don't.

[snorri]

It depends. Right?

Nobody calls the cops if they think a dog or 'yote is going after their chickens, but letting the chickens get ate is not really a winning strategy for most people.

Many suburban people take out the trash after dark but it's no guarantee there's nobody outside just because you didn't hear them.

Be cautious but don't be paranoid.

[CompVest]

Excaliber, duh. SRVA and I are well prepared and have had the advantage of going to Thunder Ranch for team tactics. Your points have been well covered with us.

[Excaliber]

Excaliber, duh. SRVA and I are well prepared and have had the advantage of going to Thunder Ranch for team tactics. Your points have been well covered with us.

Please don't take offense.

I know that you and SRVA are expert competitors and instructors, and highly trained by some of the best in the business in tactical issues. I wouldn't presume to give you advice.

I also have no doubt that if we were to meet, I could learn a great deal from you, and I look forward to that opportunity if it ever presents itself.

My remarks were offered in the hope they may be of use to some folks who haven't played these games for real as many times as I have, and may not have thought of some of the points I raised.

[Excaliber]

It depends. Right?

Nobody calls the cops if they think a dog or 'yote is going after their chickens, but letting the chickens get ate is not really a winning strategy for most people.

Many suburban people take out the trash after dark but it's no guarantee there's nobody outside just because you didn't hear them.

Be cautious but don't be paranoid.

Well, you're right, so I should point out what to some folks may be obvious: use of a little good judgment goes a long way.

Going outside for routine chores when there's no indication of a threat is considerably different from going outside hunting for a threat you think may be there right now.

Yotes don't drive cars or motorcycles, or slam car doors, nor do they generally break glass or splinter wood. A little thought put into analysis of what you've heard goes a long way, and can give you some important clues as to which course of action would give you the results you want.

[USA1]

dicion , that's a lovely photo of you .
is that your " around the house " clothes ?

[Excaliber]

So what Excaliber is saying, is that in the middle of the night, you should have an AR, night vision goggles, full BDUs, a medical pack, full throat-micced radio communications system and a wingman with all of that also ready to go at a moment's notice
(Is it sad that I DO have half of that list ready to go? Then again, I am prepping for Z-Day )

Just pickin at ya Excal

I agree, unless you have to go outside to possibly protect things (horses, cattle, farm equipment, etc etc) then stay indoors. If you do choose to go outside, you must realize that you are leaving a more secure position, for a less secure one, and to plan accordingly.

If you do shoot someone, and the police eventually show up, don't be suprised when they freak out that you're dressed like this to 'defend your property'

Dicion, you have humorously brought up a good point.

If you choose to go outside to face what you believe may be one or more hostile intruders, the challenges you face have considerable similarities to those of the soldier on night combat patrol. He carries all that stuff not because it looks cool, but because every bit of it increases his chances of survival in the situations he's likely to face. The homeowner who goes outside after an intruder is an "army of one" with:

- no tailgunner
- no wingmen
- no SAW gunner
- no sniper overwatch
- no medic
- no backup
- no rapid reaction force
- no indirect fire options
- no UAV or chopper intel
- and no air cover.

As soon as he steps outside his door, he is well and truly on his own, so the thoughtful guy or gal will dress and equip accordingly.

If you think your low visual profile getup would upset the cavalry, with the response times in most rural areas, you'd likely have plenty of time to change into something more genteel looking if you think that's important.